This invention relates to mailing systems including postal scales and postage meters. More particularly, it relates to a mailing system which will weigh and meter (i.e. imprint metered postage indicia) an item to be mailed in a single operation.
Electronic postage meters are well known. Such meters imprint indicia representative of a selected postage amount on items to be mailed, or on tapes to be affixed to such items. Such meters are pre-set with a selected value representative of an amount paid to the USPS or other carrier and will dispense postage amounts selected by an operator only until the total dispensed equals the pre-set value.
Postal scales are also well known. Such scales are typically microprocessor controlled and compute the appropriate postage amount for an item to be mailed in accordance with the weight of such item, information input by an operator (e.g. class of service) and tables of postal rates stored in the microprocessor memory.
Electronic meters of the type described above are typified by the Model 6500 Electronic Postage Meter marketed by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn. and such postal scales are typified by the Models 5820, 0-5 lb and 5890, 0-30 lb. Electronic Scales also marketed by Pitney Bowes Inc.
It is also well known to interconnect postal scales and postage meters so that the meter is set to a particular postage amount in accordance with the postage amount determined by the postal scale. Such a system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,033, for: POSTAL CHARGE PROCESSING SYSTEM WHEREIN POSTAL CONDITION DATA IS SAVED AND REUSED FOR THE NEXT POSTAL PARACEL, by: Uchimura et al, issued: Sept. 21, 1982. U.S. Pat. No 4,301,507, for: ELECTRONIC POSTAGE METER HAVING PLURAL COMPUTING SYSTEMS, by: Soderberg et al, issued Nov. 17, 1981, which is hereby incorporated by reference, teaches an electronic postage meter having an interface for connection to an external control device such as a postal scale; the interface being substantially that of the above mentioned 6500 and 6900 Electronic Postage Meters.
The systems taught in the above references, and other similar systems well known to those skilled in the art, while effective, inherently involve a two-step process wherein an item to be mailed is first weighed then transferred to a postage meter for metering. To date, attempts to simplify this process and provide a one-step metering process have involved complex transport systems which move items through weigh stations, where the appropriate postage amount is computed, and then through a meter which has been set while the item is in transit. Such a system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,492 for: POSTAGE VALUE DETERMINING AND CONTROL CIRCUIT by: Manduley, et al, issued: June 17, 1975.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a mailing system with a capacity for one-step metering of items to be mailed.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide such a system which is simple to operate.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide such a system without complex transport systems.